In the cellular service provider industry, for example, it is common place to lend potential or existing clients cellular phones for marketing and testing purposes. Thus, if a potential client is interested in testing a particular cellular service, then the cellular service provider may give the potential client a loaner phone. Alternatively, an existing client may be given, for example, a beta cellular phone for testing a new set of features of the cellular phone or the cellular service provider. In either scenario, the cellular phone is given with explicit instruction such as, for example, not to make long distance calls on the loaner phone.
Typically, the costs of the phones calls made on these cellular phones are entirely absorbed by the cellular service provider or the company that provided the cellular phone. However, in spite of the explicit instructions, abuse of these cellular phones in making long distance calls is widespread and costly. Many cellular service providers end up taking back the cellular phones with neither the client nor the cellular service provider meeting the intended objectives. Accordingly, both the client and the company are left with a negative impression of the relationship. It would be advantageous for a cellular service provider to employ a cellular phone that is capable of blocking out calls to particular area codes (e.g., area codes that would accrue long distance tolls) in a controlled and systematic manner.
In another area of concern, many service industries employ representatives or employees that travel great distances. In many instances, cellular phones are given to these representatives or employees so that they can keep in touch with the company. For example, a trucking company that delivers products across the country may give its drivers cellular phones with explicit instructions that the phone is only to be used in calling or receiving calls from the dispatcher in the home office in a particular area code. However, abuse of the cellular phones by making personal long distance calls is not uncommon. In this case, it would be impractical to block out long distance calls since most of the communications between the dispatch and the driver require a long distance call. Instead, it would be advantageous for the trucking company to employ a cellular phone that allows phone calls only to a limited set of area codes.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and a method for providing a wireless communications device that restricts access based upon particular geographical characteristics of an inputted phone number.